Elk Hunting Chronicles - Part 5
October 11, 2022
Well, as luck would have it, last nights storm didn’t stick around… the moon came out over night and was bright as ever.
For fuck sakes.
A chillier morning for sure. We headed back west to use the rockslide as a vantage point. We saw lots of fresh tracks all along the valley and by the river we thought we’d hang out there for a while.
Since the valley didn’t get that first morning light right away little pools of water freezing around us!
As we followed the trail west, Luke noticed some un-inviting tracks left in the mud on the trail, right over top of our horses tracks…
The sow Grizzly Bear and her cub.
At some point yesterday evening or over night, Lucas said, likely out of curiosity, she damn near followed us all the way back to camp. Perhaps she did, who the heck knows.
Did I mention bears scare me?! Lol
Ugh.
We tied the horses up and hiked up the rockslide to get a better view of the river bottom. It sure was hard keeping warm! But my Schnee’s (leather winter boots) we’re giving me grief so mucking around with those kept me warm for a little bit anyways lol
Nothing was moving, so we explored the rockslide a little bit since we didn’t get to yesterday! We got to the horses and I had to pee, I didn’t go to far and stumbled on a cow elk carcass. A spring wolf kill. Luke figured that was likely the time frame, since the cows hair hadn’t been shed yet. Still had her long winter coat. Poor girl.
We then went towards the old rangers cabin and back up to where we were yesterday. We rode through some meadows to see if we could run into anything.
Again, nothing.
Lots and LOTS of bushwhacking, which really buggered up my legs and hips. If you’ve bushwhacked, you know what I’m talking about. For those who don’t let me explain;
It’s basically walking/riding your horse through thick brush/trees. My legs got hung up and bent the wrong way so many times on little spruce trees it wasn’t funny.
With chronic L5 and SI disk/joint pain… when the time came, made for an excruciating ride home. The pain was brutal, lots and lots stops to get off and stretch/walk, as well as tears.
I have a low pain tolerance.
On the way home just after the beaver pond we had to ride by (the water was SO blue!) Luke spotted a rock ptarmigan just off the trail!
Normally you’d see them way up in the rocks on the mountain but not this one, right in the valley bottom among the trees and moss!
It was the first one I’ve ever seen and it was so white already! They change colors from grey in the spring/summer and to white for fall/winter.
Luke instantly thought it was a bad sign but I 100% believe that was my Grandpa Morgan trying lift my spirits! He sure loved his wild birds!!
I told Luke to not look at things so negatively, especially in this case. White is pure and a sign of GOOD things.
There definitely wasn’t as many painful tears the rest of the way back to camp. I’m sure glad grandpa showed up for a quick hello!
We made it back just before dark.
